£3m spend follows 49 crashes in two years
A £3 million scheme to improve journeys and safety at one of the North West’s busiest motorway junctions, was given the green light today.
Highways England has announced plans for major improvements to Switch Island, where the M57, M58 and three A roads all join together. The scheme is being funded by the Government’s £220 million Congestion Relief Programme which was announced by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling last month.
Construction work at the junction, which is used by over 90,000 vehicles every day, is expected to start next year. The scheme is designed to improve the flow of traffic and enhance safety, following 49 collisions at the junction in the past two years.
New traffic lights will be installed at a height of over five metres – higher than HGVs and double-decker buses – so that drivers approaching the junction can clearly see when the lights are changing.
Other improvements will include changes to the road layout and lane markings, new barriers between carriageways, coloured high friction surfaces and better signs.
